Picture Book Creating

 

What a joy giving children's books at our local farmers' market has been through my vintage travel trailer, my Little Free Library. The weather has been cool --- the acceptance and socializations very warm.

With all the shuffling and sorting and acquiring of picture books, I decided to create one.

I signed up with Susannah Hill's $150 online class. Making Picture Book Magic – Susanna Leonard Hill (susannahill.com) Susannah is thorough, responds quickly, very positive and has several published books.

I scratched my initial "feather duster"book and decided to "return to Mongolia" with my first children's  picture book. I was in Mongolia, Peace Corps (20011 - 2013), and have yet to finish my memoir of those incredible two years. I acquired a couple folktale books when overseas and am using them as inspiration and the main story line. Many of the folktales are quite gory, but I discovered, Four Friends to be a positive sweet tale that lends itself to whimsical illustrations.

Yes, I am illustrating it to the best of my abilities. I paid for a video to help me give the book the simplicity and quaintness that I desire.  Online Classes - Carla Sonheim Presents. More about this experience and specific teacher as I watch and scribble through the $72 video.

In the meantime, I am pumped to complete a book about Mongolia, one way or the other, children's or an adult memoir. Let's get with it and "just do it!"

Bookmobile's Maiden Voyage

An Interior View taken during Saturday's Maiden Voyage

JamaJoan's Vintage Bookmobile had its maiden voyage Saturday, January 28th, 2023, setting up "shop" five miles from our home. We pulled the trailer with our 1975 Chevy truck to the local farmer's market in the River Hills shopping center, Kerrville.

The results were very positive with ten children/adults visiting and thirteen books dispersed. Although I plan to give one book per visitor, exceptions will be made.

Graphic novels are popular with the upper elementary boys and my stash needs replenishing already. Off to the thrift store I trek as soon as this freeze ends. The library book store was on my list of places to go today but we are staying home. The porches are laden with ice as are the railings to hold onto. 

This is banner-making day for the bookmobile. I have acquired quite an assortment of oilcloth and am cutting triangles of polka dotted print, yellow stripes and blue gingham for my first banner. I use heavy twine and a glue gun to secure the triangles to the "rope." The banner I made this summer has been hanging by the 1956 vintage trailer and "weathers" very nicely.

Books and more books are my delight! One generous lady went home Saturday and returned with a box of many paper books. Remember "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs?"  It is truly like Christmas for me as I go through boxes kind folks have already given me

More organization is needed in the book mobile and I must know my inventory. Children come in and I ask then what they are interested in reading. The little ones need to be given choices. My familiarity with the books is necessary. I am delighted to be flipping through each and every book, wiping them down with cleaner, making sure the books are in good to better shape,reading as I flip the pages.

Here's hoping the ice on the wooden steps melts and I can spend an hour ot two in the bookmobile.